The House that Jack Sparrow Built
by St. Minority
Summary: Guilt and greed are dangerous things. One of Elizabeth's nightmares about killing Jack become very real. Takes place on way to World's End. Written before movie came out. Warning: character death, small violence, weirdness.


**Title:** The House that Jack Sparrow Built  
**Prompt:** Someone screaming, causing others to jump  
**Characters/Pairings:** a moment of Jack/Elizabeth, Barbossa, Will, Gibbs, Tia Dalma  
**Warning:** character death, little violence, plain weirdness  
**Summary:** Guilt and greed are dangerous things.  
_Authors Note: Takes place on the way to World's End. Got some inspiration from A Nightmare on Elm Street. _Date posted elsewhere: 11/05/06

* * *

  
A shrill, horrified scream rang out from within the captain's cabin. Will's heart leapt into his throat, and his hands almost released the rope they held. It was evident everyone else was as startled as he was.

He secured the line with great speed and bounded for the quarters. Barbossa and Gibbs rushed for the doors quickly as well.

Will dashed to Elizabeth, who was sitting up on the bed, and placed his arm comfortingly around her. She trembled relentlessly, her breath came in shallow increments, and tears streaked her face along with the cold sweat she had broken into.

"Calm down, calm down," Will said gently. "You're awake now. Whatever it was, it's gone."

The blacksmith did not understand. This was the fourth night in a row where she would wake and be incredibly terrified beyond recognition. Each time he questioned her as to what she dreamt, and each time she would refuse to answer. If it was so frightening, why would she not divulge as to what it was about?

"Another one?" Gibbs asked concerned.

Elizabeth nodded slightly.

Tia Dalma entered and crept to the bed. She knelt, offered a cup to Elizabeth, and spoke quietly, "Drink from 'dis. It will ease 'de fear."

Elizabeth took it graciously and drank it all. Within mere moments, her body stopped its shaking and she could feel the panic fade. She let out a deep breath and lifted her gaze to look at the four present.

"I'm fine," she stated softly. Her eyes shifted to stare at Will directly. "I'm fine."

"What was it this time?" he inquired.

"Oh, nothing important. It's nothing."

His expression did not change from its worried self.

"I'm fine. I promise."

Barbossa smirked devilishly and walked out. Gibbs followed and Will did also after much reassurance from Elizabeth. When Tia stood at the door, she turned to look upon the young woman once more and voiced in a hushed tone, "You must bury 'de guilt; I fear it will bring harm to you."

The witch departed, leaving Elizabeth alone with a new fretful feeling.

The nightmares were supposed to have ended – at least, that was what had been hoped when she began to sleep in the comforts of the cabin. The solution had not worked.

She rubbed her eyes and vowed to stay awake the rest of the night.

* * *

  
The wood was cool beneath her bare feet as she treaded aimlessly about the deck. The sun was setting on the horizon, the wind was eerily still. She heard chains rattling and the desperate voice of a man.

Elizabeth turned around to spot the back of the struggling pirate shackled to the mast. Cautiously, she crept nearer until he was just inches in front of her.

"Jack?" she asked apprehensively.

The man was instantly immobile. He ceased his mutterings, lifted his head high, and stood defiantly as he waited for her to go on.

"I'm…..I am sorry," she whispered.

The pirate began to slowly turn to face her. The cuff that had been fastened to the mast suddenly was not, allowing him to stare with fiery, amber orbs at her completely. He bore a hateful, malicious grin that unnerved her to no end.

"Miss Swann," he hissed spitefully.

He took a step forward, causing her to take one backward.

"Jack, I-"

"You what? Saw fit to play God, ay? Force me to face the final judgment upon me black, no good, rotten soul?" Another step forward, another one back. "Make me defenseless against the terrible beastie so that it could take my ship and myself down to the depths with no hindrance whatsoever?"

"I had to save us-"

"You had to save _you,_ Lizzy."

"I don't know what you mean-"

"You're no better than us pirates anymore. You _have_ no moral center, missy. You have no problem putting a man to death, do you?"

"Jack-"

"Do you?!" His eyes blazed with cruelty.

She collided against another mast, having not realized how they had been moving across the deck leisurely. She made to run away, but found that she was trapped in place by some unseen force. He seemed to realize she figured it out and laughed in a low tone. It was not Jack's laughter however, she could tell, but she was unable to discern whose it was.

Abruptly, he slammed his lips against hers in a powerful kiss. He drew it on for a few minutes as his hands traveled along the sides of her thin frame. He cupped her face and she could feel the cold metal of the cuffs against her skin. The rough palms moved to her neck and were soon replaced by the chain stretching across her throat. He pressed his body to hers tightly, finally broke the kiss, and smiled in a deranged manner.

"Pirate," he breathed heatedly. "You took my life, I take your life, we're square."

All at once, the chain dug into her neck, choking her aggressively. She tried to push him away, but it was to no avail. She struggled helplessly, watched his eyes change from brown to blue through her clouded vision, and within minutes, she blacked out.

Jack snarled disgustedly and stepped away from Elizabeth, letting her collapse to the deck. His long, dark hair became short, wavy, and a light brown. The braided beard changed to a scraggly one. He grew slightly taller, broader shoulders, and his entire wardrobe was different.

Barbossa chuckled and glared at the fallen maiden.

* * *

Elizabeth thrashed about, clawing at her throat as she rasped for breath, and emitted tiny noises of suffering. Cold, azure orbs observed her from the corner of the room.

A wicked grin pried at the edges of Barbossa's lips. The witch had many concoctions, and he had found one of the best to carry out his plan. There was no evidence to be left that would point to him.

He was not sailing to the ends of the Earth to fetch Jack Sparrow. Hardly. He was sailing to the ends of the Earth to fetch his ship back.

And he had found the perfect way to eliminate them all once they retrieved it.


End file.
